Electrospun polymeric nanocomposites : synthesis and applications in energy and photocatalysis
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Date
2024-10-21
Authors
Χρονόπουλος, Ιωάννης-Νεκτάριος
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Abstract
Global challenges like environmental pollution and the growing demand for clean energy have highlighted the need for new materials and technologies. Photocatalysis and energy storage are two promising areas that can help reduce pollutants and store energy more sustainably. In photocatalysis, organic pollutants such as dyes and pharmaceuticals pose environmental risks when released into water bodies. At the same time, the increasing demand for efficient energy storage devices has led to advances in supercapacitor technologies. In this thesis, I explore electrospinning, which is a versatile and cost-effective technique for producing ultrafine fibers, to create materials that can improve both pollution removal from water and energy storage. The first part of the study focused on fabricating composite polymer-nanoparticle electrospun membranes and testing their photocatalytic efficiency in degrading Methylene blue dye. Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and nylon 6 (PA6) were used to incorporate metal oxide nanoparticles (TiO2 and ZnO). Characterization techniques were used to study the morphology and nanoparticle incorporation into the membranes. The combination of the catalytic properties of metal oxides and the large surface area of the electrospun fibers showed promising decolorization results, achieving 88% removal of the dye. Additionally, factors such as nanoparticle concentration and size were examined to understand their effect on the photocatalytic activity of the materials. In the second application, PAN nanofibers were thermally stabilized to obtain a structure that is successfully transformed to graphene-like structures to make this material suitable for use as supercapacitor electrodes. The resulting carbon fibers demonstrated excellent conductivity, with ultralow sheet resistance (< 6.0 Ohm sq-1), and exhibited high-quality graphene structures. These graphene-like films were tested using a three-electrode setup and as electrode materials in an interdigitated supercapacitor based on an aqueous electrolyte. The results showed high capacitance, good cycling stability, and effective charge-discharge performance— important qualities for energy storage devices that require quick energy delivery and a long cycle life.
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Keywords
Electrospinning, Polymers, Nanoparticles, Photocatalysis, Graphene structures, Supercapacitors